The Shining Star of Williamsburg

Newsletter Week of 2.22.16

Here is the Class 5-306 newsletter for the upcoming week of: February 22, 2016- February 26, 2016.

Reading
This week, the class will continue reading Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. This book contains writing from the diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The diary contains entries beginning on June 14, 1942 and ending on August 1, 1944.
In conjunction with discussing the Anne Frank’s diary, we will also be discussing and learning about the Holocaust as well as World War II.
During this unit, the students will be working in groups to discuss their nightly reading assignments and answer questions based on what they have read. They will also be working daily on projects they will create based on their own interests, such as film, drama, building, writing, and art. In addition, students will be reading informational articles weekly to supplement the literature they are reading.

5th grade ELA common core Literature standards :
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.1
Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2
Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.4
Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.10
By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4-5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

5th grade ELA common core Informational Text standards:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.2
Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.5.7
Draw on information from multiple print or digital sources, demonstrating the ability to locate an answer to a question quickly or to solve a problem efficiently.

Writing
The students will continue working on the new writing unit, which is Response to Literature. During this unit, students will practice writing essays in which they state a position or thesis, use evidence from the text to support their thesis, and organize their writing into proper format.

5th grade ELA common core writing standards we will focus on include: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.2
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.

Vocabulary/Spelling Homework Contracts
The new vocabulary words for the week have been selected from the book Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl. The words and definitions can also be accessed on spelling city. http://www.spellingcity.com/teacher5306/

1. asylum- a place offering safety and protection.
2. campaign- a course of action for a specific purpose.
3. devastation- complete destruction or desolation.
4. divan- a long, low sofa without a back or arms.
5. scandalous- disgraceful, shameful, defamatory or libelous. 6. superficial- not caring about serious or important matters. 7. sentimental- tender or emotional.
8. suppress- to subdue or inhibit something, hold back.
9. livid- extremely angry or enraged.
10. console- to soothe or comfort.

Math
During our fourth math unit, the students have been studying Fractions. Over the past several weeks, the children have been extending their current understanding of adding and subtracting fractions. This week we will continue working on multiplying and dividing fractions. We will be using materials from EngageNy Module 4: Multiplication and Division of Fractions and Decimal Fractions, as well as materials from Go Math and Singapore Math to enrich our daily lessons.
Our learning next week will focus on the following 5th grade MATH Common Core Standards:

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.4
Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction or whole number by a fraction.

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.5.NF.B.6
Solve real world problems involving multiplication of fractions and mixed numbers, e.g., by using visual fraction models or equations to represent the problem.

Social Studies
This week, we will continue to discuss the Holocaust and World War II in the context of The Diary of Anne Frank. Students will also continue presenting their State Tourism Director projects and learning all about the 50 states. Individual due dates and information about this project have been sent home. If you have any questions about the project, please let me know.

Science
In our current unit of science, we will continue studying Changes to the Earth’s Surface. The objectives of this unit are: · Students will recognize landforms found on earth
· Students will understand the causes of erosion, deposition, and weathering
· Students will explain how water, wind, ice, and plants all cause landforms to change
· Students will observe how a model volcano changes the “landscape” after an eruption

Important Reminders/Announcements
1. Senior Dues- The Senior Dues are $150. You may send in 3 payments of $50 each (1 for January, 1 for February, and 1 for March) or $150. The deadline is March 31st.

2. Friday, February 26th – 100th Day of School celebration/ Crazy Hat Day!

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.

5-306 Weekly Homework Assignments
This week’s spelling words and definitions have been posted in the weekly newsletter as well as on the spelling city website!http://www.spellingcity.com/teacher5306/.

Monday, February 22nd
1. Math-weekly review sheet.
2. Spelling/Vocabulary-Copy down the spelling/vocabulary words in ABC order and write down the definitions. 3. Reading- Please read Anne Frank: Diary of a Young Girl.
April 14 ,1944 through May 2, 1944 (p.208-222).
Complete 1 reading response based on what you have read.

Word Work Options
1. Write each word 5 times, using a different color each time. 2. Type your spelling words 10 times, using a different font each time. 3. Create a comic strip. Add captions that use all of your vocabulary words.
4. Divide all of your spelling words into syllables (ex. Excitement=ex/cite/ment)
5. Write all of your spelling words and go over the tricky parts of each word with a pen or marker. 6. Write a TV ad for a product that uses your spelling words. 7. Find each word in the dictionary. Copy a definition for each one.
8. Cut each spelling word out of a newspaper or magazine. Glue all the words on a piece of paper.
9. Write a sentence for each spelling word, but leave out the spelling words. List all the words on the page. Ask a family member to add the correct spelling word to each sentence. 10. Write a riddle for each of your spelling words
11. Write each word in a sentence. Make pictures for 3 sentences. 12. Write your spelling words. Add a rhyming word next to each one. 13. Write a story that uses 10 spelling words.
14. Scramble each spelling word. Have a family member unscramble the words and sign your paper. 15. Spell your words with alphabet pasta. Glue them onto paper. 16. Cut out paper letters for half of the words and glue onto paper.
17. Make a word search puzzle in which you hide all of your spelling words. Give it to a family member to solve and sign.
18. For a different type of word search, draw a Boggle-type game board containing your spelling words. See if a family member can find the spelling words.
19. Make two copies of your spelling words on index cards. Use the cards to play a memory or “Concentration” game with a family member.
20. Start on the first line, write just the first letter of the word. Go to the second line, write the first two letters of the word. Continue until the word is done.
21. Write a brand-new tall tale that uses all of your spelling words. Be sure to underline your vocabulary words. 22. Write a poem using your spelling words.
23. Sort your spelling words using their parts of speech.
24. Write each word forwards and backwards.
25. Write the letters of your words in ABC order. (For example, STUDY would be DSTUY.)